Key-touch adjuster for pianofortes



2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

F. B. LONG. KEY TOUGH ADJUSTER FOR PIANOPORTES'.'

No. 489,564. Patented Jan. 1o, 1893..

UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B LONG, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

KEY-TOUCH ADJUSTER FOR PIANOFORTES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,564, dated January10, 1893.

Application filed May 26, 1892 Serial No. 434,483. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. LONG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Individual-Key Touch-AdjusterforPianofortes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and simple touchadjuster for piano fortes which is adapted to be accurately adjusted forcach individual key and which can be applied to any piano.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my inventlon.

Figure l is a fragmentary top view of my invention applied to thekey-board of a piano forte. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section on lineinc-# Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating means ofconnection between spring, key and screw, different from that shown inFig. 2. Figetis a fragmentary front elevation, the keys being shown insection at line y-y Fig. l while the end posts are shown in partialvertical mid-section. Fig. 5 is a section on line ewa, Fig. l lookingtoward the right. Fig. 6 is afragmentary sectional view showing anattachment for operating the regulator from the outside of the piano.Fig. 7 is a view of the outside of the piano provided with theattachment shown in Fig. 6. Line shows the line of section ot' Fig. 6.

My invention comprises essentially the combination of a journaledkey-spring carrying rod A; a series of key-spring carrying arms Bsecured thereto by suitable means and arranged to project therefrom overtheir respective keys; a series of spiral springs C arranged tocommunicate between the arms and their respective keys D, and springcarryin g screws E arranged to screw through the arms respectively andconnected with the springs immediately or by suitable intermediate meansto move the springs toward or from the keys to increase or decrease thepressure of the springs upon their respective keys, and means forpartially rotating the rod.

It also consists in the specific construction of the rod and thecombination therewith of the spring carrying arms and the means shownfor securing the rod and arms to gether.

It also consists in the construction and arrangement of the brackets orsupporting posts which are secured to the key bottom or other suitableportion of the frame of the piano, in which posts or brackets the rod isjournaled, whereby the height of the rod above the keys can be adjusted.

It also consists in the combination of the rod, the end bracket and thespecific means hereinafter described for partially rotating the rod.

The rod A consists of a tube provided on one side with a slot d arrangedlongitudinal of the tube, the upper edges of the walls of which slotform a suitable seat for the arms B which are seated thereon and aresecured thereto. The tube is journaled in the brackets F F and F (or Fm)with its slota uppermost so that the edges of the slot will not cut thebearings. The bearings in which the rod is journaled are bushed withbushing felt Gr in which the rod rotates and which prevents rattling.

The boxes of the end posts F and F (Fm) are capped over on the outsideso that when the parts are in position the rod will be held againstaxial movement. rlhe posts comprise a journal portion, a stem f and asocketed bracket base h in which the stem is seated, and a set screw t'which is adapted to clamp the post in the socket and hold it at therequired height. The journal portion of the end post F is formed of anupper and lower journal boX member J and K which are secured together byscrews Z.

In the form shown in Figs. l to 5 the upper journalbox memberJ isprovided with a wormretaining bracket or arm j which is arranged toproject inward over the rod and is provided with a suitable bearing Imin which is j ournaled a worm M. The bearingmis open underneath to admitthe worm. The end of the rod is provided with a rack arm N fixed to suchrod and adapted to be partially rotated by the Worm M which is arrangedto mesh in it. The rack arm N is provided with teeth 'n in a limited arcand stops o are provided at the ends of the are to engage the worm andlimit the rotation of the rod. The

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worm is provided at its ends with angular stems p p to receive a socketkey by which the screw can be rotated. The springs ma)7 be seated inpapier mach cups q, r, if desired, or they may be connected direct withtheir screws and keys as shown in Fig. 3. In the form illustrated inFig. 2 the lower cup or socket fr is seated on the end of the key andthe upper cup or socket q is fixed to the screw E which screws throughthe arm B.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 one end of the spring is inserted in the keyand the other end is attached to the screw. As shown, the screw F isperforated axially and the end of the spring is inserted therein andthus holds the spring in place. The sockets in the arms B through whichthe screws screw are provided with the felt bushings t. The arms areheld in place on the tubular rod by screws u lnserted through the slot atherein and screwed into nuts c" arranged on the inside of the tube forthat purpose.

In practice the bases of the posts or brackets F F F (Fm) are xed to thekey bottom .IV and the rod is placed in position in the journal bearingsot' the brackets, and the stems of the posts are set in their respectivesockets in the bases and are secured in place 1n the proper position bythe set screws; care being had to make the rod parallel with the planeof the keys. Before inserting the toothed arm-carrying end of the rod inits bearing post or bracket F, the worm is set in place and when the rodis in place the toothed arm prevents the worm from dropping down out ofits bearings. The springs are then adj Listed with relation to theirrespective arms by turning the screwsE untilit is found upon trial thatthe pressure of the several springs upon the keys is uniform. IVhen thusadj usted, the device is ready for ordinary use. To increase or diminishthe weight of the touch the rod A is partially rotated. In the formsshown in Figs. 1 to 5 this is done by rotating the worm.

The stem p of the worm is angular to receive a key which may be appliedto turn the worm to rotate the rod.

In the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the bracket F" which is substitutedfor bracket F in the other views is provided with an opening f arrangedto allow an angular key stem p to project therethrough from the endofthe rod A to form an attachment for the rod-operating key P which isfitted thereupon and arranged to project through the cheek 2 of thepiano to be operated from the outside of the piano.

3 is a spring-handle fixed upon the end of key P outside of the cheekand arranged to spring toward the cheek and into engagement with asuitable rack N xed to a plate 5 secured to the cheek of the piano.

O, O', are stops arranged at the ends of the rack to stop the spring-armfrom moving too free. These correspond to the stops o shown in Figs. 2and 5 and the teeth n of the rack correspond with the teeth fn shown insuch figures.

No key is shown in the drawings to be applied to turn the stems p butkeys suitable for the purpose are well known and no illustration thereofis necessary.

By the means for rotating the rod shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the rod can bepartially rotated from the outside of the piano by springing the springhandle S clear of the rack and moving it the distance required toproduce the pressure desired upon the keys.

Now having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is;-

l. A touch adjuster for piano fortes comprising the combination setforth of a journaled key-spring-carrying rod; a series ofkey-spring-carrj'fing arms secured thereto by suitable means andarranged to project therefrom over their respective keys;a series ofsprings arranged respectively to communicate between the arms and theirrespective keys; and the spring carrying screws arranged to screwthrough the arms respectively and connected with the springs immediatelyor by suitable intermediate means to move the springs toward or from thekeys toincrease or decrease the pressure of the springs upon theirrespective keys, and means for partially rotating the rod.

2. In a touch adjuster for piano fortes the combination set forth of thejournaled rod consisting of the tube provided on one side with the slotarranged longitudinal of the tube; the spring-carrying arms seated onthe Walls ot the slot; the nuts arranged inside the tube, and the screwsrespectively passed through the arms and slot and screwed into the nuts.

3. The combination set forth of the piano frame; the keys; the socketedbracket boxes secured to the frame; the journal portions and the stems fof the brackets arranged with the stems in the sockets of the bases; theset screws arranged t-o clamp the stems respectively in their bases, therod journaled in the brackets; the spring-carrying arms secured to therod and arranged to project therefrom over their respective keys and thesprings communicating between the arms and their keys.

4. In a touch adjuster for piano fortes the combination set forth of thej ournaled springarm-carrying rod provided with the toothed arm; the endbracket F comprising the upper journal box member J and the lowerjournal box member K secured thereto and provided with the Wormretaining bracket j; the worm journaled therein and arranged to mesh inthe toothed arm.

FRANK B. LONG.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. TowNsnND, F. M. TowNsEND.

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